An Eden Prairie dentist is facing a lawsuit from a Minneapolis woman who claimed he aggressively over-treated nearly all her teeth in a single marathon session, potentially causing her lasting damage. As reported by the Star Tribune, Kathleen Wilson is pursuing legal action against Dr. Kevin Molldrem of Molldrem Family Dentistry, alleging that she was subjected to eight crowns, four root canals, and 20 fillings over five and a half hours during her treatment in July 2020.
The lawsuit accuses Molldrem of not only providing negligent care that required follow-up procedures from other providers to correct but also of greatly exceeding the safe dosage of anesthesia – and subsequently falsifying medical records to cover this up. According to the Star Tribune, an expert opinion noted that the amount of dental work claimed to have been done in a single sitting is "impossible to achieve if ... done properly."
Wilson is asking for at least $50,000 in damages after the treatment, which reportedly left her in pain, embarrassed, and distressed. Dr. Avrum Goldstein, a dentist based in Naples, Florida, was retained by Wilson's legal team to review her medical records, corroborating that the treatment she received was poor quality, and indicating several care breaches. "Katie required a slow, thoughtful, careful and measured response to her disease," Goldstein stated, adding that Molldrem's rapid treatment was "not humanely possible to achieve in an effective or constructive manner."
Molldrem was served a summons at his Eden Prairie office on Dec. 20, 2023, but did not respond to messages requesting comments, nor did Wilson's attorney, Nathaniel Weimer with the Minneapolis personal injury law firm Tewksbury & Kerfeld. In contrast, to his website claims, where Molldrem has articulated a desire to provide dental care "for others as I would want for my own family," the lawsuit paints a different picture of a provider hastening treatments and failing to tailor care to an individual's needs, the Patch notes.
The case raises questions regarding patient safety, informed consent, and the ethical standards of care within dental practices. With further proceedings expected, Wilson's lawsuit could potentially set a precedent for how dental treatments should be approached, especially when a patient presents with complex and extensive needs.
